as in extra
being over what is needed
any excess food from the party will be donated to a shelter for the homeless
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in surplus
the state or an instance of going beyond what is usual, proper, or needed
a new television season with an excess of sitcoms featuring wisecracking teenagers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in excessiveness
a propensity for extremes in one's actions, beliefs, or habits
the wretched excess that is so often found in the world of show business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to lay off
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of excess
Kris Van Cleave, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026
Working one at a time, dip cupcakes in warm chocolate glaze to coat all over, letting excess glaze drip back into bowl, then transfer cupcakes to bowl with coconut and toss to coat all over.
—Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Apr. 2026
David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 28 Apr. 2026
The volume was loud – at least one listener’s ears were ringing four hours after the concert ended – but Springsteen’s is one of the few rock acts whose music literally demands such auditory excess (most groups use volume to mask mediocrity).
—Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Apr. 2026
Amy Dickinson, Anchorage Daily News, 17 July 2023
You’ve been quoted as saying that that is really what the film is about — not so much drinking to excess as embracing the uncontrollable.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2021
See All Example Sentences for excess
Adjective
The airline's excess capacity would then be used for military operations like transporting troops and cargo.
—Kris Van Cleave, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026
Working one at a time, dip cupcakes in warm chocolate glaze to coat all over, letting excess glaze drip back into bowl, then transfer cupcakes to bowl with coconut and toss to coat all over.
—Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Apr. 2026
Noun
Wurster’s sensibility—modern, restrained, human-scaled—fits the location, where excess can feel like competition with the horizon.
—David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 28 Apr. 2026
The volume was loud – at least one listener’s ears were ringing four hours after the concert ended – but Springsteen’s is one of the few rock acts whose music literally demands such auditory excess (most groups use volume to mask mediocrity).
—Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
Over the past few months my wife has begun drinking to excess every evening.
—Amy Dickinson, Anchorage Daily News, 17 July 2023
You’ve been quoted as saying that that is really what the film is about — not so much drinking to excess as embracing the uncontrollable.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2021
See All Example Sentences for excess
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excess
Adjective
-
The lightning-quick Maxey repeatedly got to the basket in the first half, but the Knicks continued to give him extra attention throughout his nearly 47 minutes of playing time.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
7 May 2026
-
Ryan Pierce produced a two-run double in the sixth as Dundee-Crown (9-15, 1-12) overcame a five-run deficit in forcing extra innings.—
Paul Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Over a decade later, the spirit of that push has become a core policy for Johnson, who persuaded aldermen to support a record $1 billion TIF surplus that yielded $572 million for Chicago Public Schools and $233 million for the city.—
Jake Sheridan,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Those teams have areas of surplus and change-of-scenery candidates.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Unable to collect rent, many were forced to take on debt, lay off staff, delay repairs and, in some cases, sell their property.—
Michael Casey,
Fortune,
3 May 2026
-
Gaspar followed up by announcing New Britain might have to close Northend School and lay off 103 workers, including 49 teachers unless the city put forward more money.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
Adjective
-
On that note, anyone have a spare million or two?—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
30 Apr. 2026
-
On-site assembly and integration of ITER project To manage technical risks, the project included a seventh spare module.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Redmond described a familiar scene in which families waste time attempting to find something to watch amid an abundance of choice.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
6 May 2026
-
Leave it to a Black woman to see a need not just in her family but throughout the culture and thoughtfully fill said need with limited resources but an abundance of ingenuity.—
Essence,
Essence,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Meanwhile, Andy Sachs (Hathaway) has just been sacked from her respected position as an award-winning reporter at a vital, forward-thinking political news outlet.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
1 May 2026
-
While Troy may well have been sacked in a war, historians are largely unwilling to accept that it was ever destroyed by a crack team of Greek soldiers hidden inside a giant wooden horse.—
Gitanjali Roy,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
When maintenance issues reached a crisis point with sewage overflow in 2023, residents turned to the attorney general to intervene.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Use it as a shoe rack in an entryway, a spot to display potted plants, or a pantry organizer for overflow.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Regularly trim ground cover plants around trees.—
Lee Wallender,
The Spruce,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Revisions also have trimmed 69,000 jobs from December and January payrolls, a sign that the labor market remains under strain.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Excess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excess. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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